Why is Isla Mujeres so quiet?

Those who live on the island can't help but notice there is a real absence of American tourists on the island, nice for some but not great for business. There are still Mexican tourists who cross to the island daily, but do little for the Isla Mujeres economy, apart from benefit Ultramar.

The answer really lies in the US economy;  whilst vast sums of money is going into supporting foreign  wars, the American middle class is being increasingly squeezed.

People who have rental properties on the island are still renting but there has been a marked drop off. Bookings are still coming in for Christmas and the fishing season, but generally these are the very wealthy who are booking during high season.

What was very noticeable was the lack of families booking during the Spring Break. Families who book Spring Break are generally middle-class families. Many probably took the family camping instead, which is not the same but can nevertheless be enjoyable and very healthy. 

So will the recent drop-off in rentals make property on the island cheaper to buy? Probably not, sometimes a buyer may encounter a seller who was relying  purely on rental income from their property, and has no other source of income. They may consider dropping their price, although Ironically, by the time the sale has completed the market will probably have recovered, it always does. Many feel that this coming election, depending on the result could see an upturn in the American economy.

At the moment, for those who rent even in the current market, the rentals will cover all the property expenses; maintenance, permissions and taxes. Perhaps even the owners' holiday flights but not significant income,  but it's a temporary problem.

What we charge for a luxury three-bedroom three bathroom luxury property with a pool and gardens in low season is $350 USD a night,  which is extremely good value for money. If there are six people it represents less than $60 per person per night, the price of a basic hotel. That goes up to $450 in high season, but when you consider there are hotels charging over $1,000 per night for a double room, it is still represents tremendous value for money.